To be honest, when I switched to fifth grade, I was a bit skeptical about bringing my daily 5 practices with me. Would it be to “elementary” for my fifth-graders? Would I have their buy-in? Utilizing the Daily 5 to structure my literacy block for my fifth graders was the BEST decision I could have made for my students! With a few simple tweaks, the Daily 5 not only boosted my students' independence but also helped me cover the curriculum with ease. Want to know how I made it work? Read on to learn my secrets!
Read MoreWanna know what I enjoy most about teaching fifth graders? Book Clubs! I know, I’m a bit of a Daily 5 junkie, but Book Clubs help me build strong relationships with my students while still teaching the content I need to cover. But choosing books for upper elementary Book Clubs can be a challenge, which is my I’m sharing my favorite books for upper elementary Book Clubs. These book recommendations are ones my students LOVE, and yours will, too!
Read MoreWhen I first started teaching, share buckets were used at my school. I was a first year teacher so I went with what the other teachers in my grade level were doing. Share buckets weren’t something I remembered from elementary school. In fact, I remembered having my own personal pencil box. I continued to use share buckets for years and once I moved schools, I noticed my students were even more territorial with their supplies. I even had parents ask why their child’s supplies weren’t separate. So, this year, after teaching virtually all last year, I decided to make the switch to pencil boxes and I’ll never go back to share buckets. Keep reading to find out why pencil box name tags are a game changer for first graders (and kindergartners too!)
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